


One Big Happy Family

by EllaMariexoxo



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Family, One Big Happy Family, One Shot, Post Manga, Second Generation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2019-07-28 09:49:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 12,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16239146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllaMariexoxo/pseuds/EllaMariexoxo
Summary: We can speculate about the future, but on a more practical level, we have to admit that we simply don't know what will happen. EdxWin family drabbles. Set after manga end.





	1. Whole Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They had made promises to each other, marriage was just one of them.

“Well, don’t just stand there.” She scolded him. “Help me with this stupid veil.”

Feeling embarrassed by how he was staring Winry threw her arms across her chest, daring him to say something about her attempt to look nice. Maybe she shouldn’t have let Rose do her makeup and maybe the dress was too much. Playing nervously with the material she took a deep breath as he stepped closer, pulling the veil from her hands. They were face to face now.

“Brother is a lucky man. You look beautiful Winry.”

Her cheeks flushed with pride at the compliment, but today was so important she nearly faltered. “Really?”

Alphonse grinned, “Yeah, really Winry.”

They stood like that for a moment before Al took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Better not keep brother waiting.”

It was certainly fitting that Edward should have to be the one waiting for a change. “Al.” Winry swallowed back the emotion that was welling up in the back of her throat. The tradition was for the father to give his daughter away. There were a lot of moments she knew she would never have. “Thank you for doing this.”

Alphonse’s face strained for a moment before he placed her hand around the crook of his arm. “I’m honored.”

Together they walked to the foot of the hill, the large gathering of people unheard of in a town like Resembool.

Edward was fidgeting up at the altar, his hand tugging at the tie around his neck. His hair was pulled back and from the looks of it someone had tried to tame his antenna. The thought made the butterflies calm, this was Edward she was marrying after all. The music changed and suddenly he wasn’t fidgeting anymore, those amber eyes were fixated, and the butterflies were back.

“Don’t let me fall.” Winry whispered to Al.

“Never.”

Winry thought that she would remember every detail, every moment, but the walk down the isle was lost, the words coming out of their mouths, the smiles from all their friends, tears from Pinako and the loud bark of Den, but all she would remember was the look on Edwards face when he promised to give her his whole life. Then again she did remember the way Edward blushed when Pinako asked if he knew what to do with Winry that night. It was a good thing Pinako couldn’t hear as well as she used to. When it came to loving each other, they had been quiet for far too long.


	2. Fatherhood

He wasn't sure what was worse, the sight or the smell. Terrible, unforgivable and decidedly the most disgusting thing he had ever come across and that was saying something. After all Ed had grown up in a place that held a sheep festival every spring. Wipes? Dammit all, where the hell were those wipes? It looked like a war zone in there and he wasn't about to go in without backup.

Making a face Edward grabbed the tiny ankles together and lifted up the baby's butt so that he could pull off the offending item and clear away the evidence. This was of course the end of his relationship with chocolate or anything that resembled the color brown.

The small boy began to fuss as the cold air hit his formally swaddled body. Picking up the baby powder Edward stared at the container and tried to remember what Winry had said. How much did it take to cover a baby's bottom? After some thought Ed figured a few pats would do the job. Realistically, a tap would have sufficed, but how the hell was he supposed to know that? The air misted with white powder and he would be damned if any of it actually went where it was originally planned. The wails which had initially provoked him to check for problems began to escalate.

Winry rushed in and Edward was positive mothers had a locating device for crying children and fumbling fathers.

"Ed? What are you doing to him?" She stared at the white out area is dismay before glaring in his direction. "Why would you use the whole bottle?"

In one, two swipes top, she had their son clean and wrapped back up again in his diaper. The tiny infant instantly settled, his little fingers grasped around his mother's finger as she rocked him gently. Stupid, no good, Hohenheim. He had no idea what the hell he was doing and it felt good to pin it on his own father rather than to take on any blame himself.

"Hold out your arms." His wife asked, her voice tired but pleased. 

Edward looked up, the scowl leaving his face as he stared into her expectant eyes. Reluctantly, he held his arms out as she gently passed the baby into his grasp. Eddy's grip on his mother's finger didn't release. He wasn't crying but the fussing noise didn't sound happy either. "See? He doesn't want me, he wants you Win." He attempted to hand the kid back over.

Winry smirked at him, before flicking him on the forehead with her free hand.

"What was that for?"

"Don't be an idiot Ed, he's your son, of course he wants you too." She gently detached her finger, replacing it with Eds. The infant grabbed on tight, holding onto Ed's finger as if his life depended on it.

"Whoa." Edward marveled at his son, wondering if he would ever tire of being amazed by it all.

Winry smiled at them and he felt his earlier discomfort ebb. Motherhood suited her in ways he knew even surprised her.

"He's only a couple of days old Ed, you're not going to be perfect from day one, it takes time and practice." She leaned in and gave them each a kiss. "Speaking of practice next time he messes his diaper, I'll be sure to let you know." She sang happily before heading into their room for bed.

"Hey! I just changed a natural disaster!"

Winry slunk back into the room at his comment, her hands on her hips and Ed couldn't help but appreciate the way her chest stuck out a little bit more lately.

"Trust me Ed; you're not the first or last person to ever deal with that. Just remember, when you're old and you need  _your_  diaper changed who do you think is going to do it?"

Ed shook his head in amusement as he turned his gaze to his son. "Mommy is a cruel, cruel woman."

Eddy blinked up at him before his eyelids drooped close again.

Things might be changing quicker than they would have liked or planned, but changing diapers seemed to be the worst of it.

As he laid his son down to sleep he chuckled. "How about that, equivalent exchange huh?"


	3. Legacy

The call had come early morning, early enough that it even woke the baby.  He knew by the look on Winry's face and the way she let the handle of the receiver fall into place slowly that something was wrong.

“I talked to her yesterday?” She said by way of answering his silent curiosity. “She didn’t…she didn’t sound-“

Granny was a tough old bird, but time and years of smoking and drinking had been tougher.

Baggage. He was used to carrying metaphorical baggage with him when he traveled. Promises given, missions to accomplish, guilt, but now he was literally weighted down with luggage. Traveling with a baby and Winry was daunting to say the least. Thankfully Alphonse had traveled from the east in time to meet them at the Resembool station. It wasn’t just them he had picked up, Winry had melted at the sight of Den.

It was a strange thing to process for the both of them. They weren’t strangers to death or the loss of someone important in their lives, but a loss was still a loss. Granny had just seemed so much larger than life despite her rather short stature. Resembool was exactly how he remembered it, but the yellow house was dark and it seemed even Den was reluctant to approach it.

With Alphonse’s help with the baby it didn’t take long to box up Pinako’s belongings and that was both a blessing and a curse. How could a legacy like her’s be reduced to a few garbage bags and boxes?

With a sigh he knocked softly on the bedroom door, pushing it open slightly to reveal his wife slumped on her grandmothers’ bed. She looked up through a mop of blonde hair; face wet with tears. Winry opened her mouth but no words came out. It was bound to happen and he was glad it was sooner rather than later.

Joining her on the bed he took his wife’s hand in his and decided it was probably best if he just stayed quiet. Winry sniffed a few times before squeezing his hand and rubbing the back of her palm across her cheeks. “What are we going to do?”

Edward looked around the room for a moment. “We take it one day at a time.”

She began to worry her lip between her teeth. “What will we do about all of her tools? We can’t just sell those, and what about Den? We don’t have the room for her in Central. We don’t even have a yard.” A sob escaped her throat and Edward fidgeted. The idea of sending Winry’s childhood dog, their childhood pet, off to some farm seemed heartless. Then again bringing an old dog like that into a cramped apartment after a life running free seemed equally cruel.

“Those are questions for tomorrow.” He admitted with a sigh, rubbing the small of her back.

Pinako had wanted a celebration and that’s what the small town of Resembool gave her. The funeral had brought together the whole town and despite the familiar faces there were some he was positive he had never laid eyes on. There were faces lined with stories and tales that brought a smile to even Winry’s face. More often than not he found her smiling as people unloaded their memories of Pinako onto her. There were people who made her blush with their compliments and several Edward politely interrupted with a well-placed child into her arms. It never ceased to annoy him how little that ring on her finger deterred the men in this damn town.

As the day wore on Edward had a moment to privately contemplate his own loss. He thought about how much he had come to rely on the old hag’s wisdom and stable presence. Colicky babies, angry Winry, broken automail…angry Winry. There was a lot he had asked of her and Edward wondered if he had given enough in return.  He even wondered how much they actually knew about the woman because after some of the crazier stories he had heard in passing, accusations of a lively young girl who had more adventures than he remembered, Edward had a sad feeling they should have asked her. _Had he ever bothered to ask?_

In the late hour none of them found sleep. Instead they sat at the kitchen table, a trio of glasses full of Grans moonshine held up in her honor.

“I’m going to miss this place.” Alphonse managed after finishing his glass off with a grimace. "I'm going to miss Gran."

Winry didn’t speak she just nodded and drained her cup. Den picked his head up from his spot on the floor next to Winry as if he too were in agreement.

It was the end of an era and Edward wasn't sure what came next. Helping Winry say goodbye to Pinako had been a great way to avoid the next hurdle. Edward wondered if the next owner of the house would know the memories forged within the walls. Would they look down the path and remember all those who had walked it? Would they see the cork board on the wall and know how many pictures of faces had stood the test of time. He had turned his back on this home and those within in too many times to count. This time it seemed different, the idea that they couldn't come back was unsettling. Here in Resembool he felt different, always did. The idea wasn't new, those two years with Winry in Resembool after the promised day had changed a lot not to mention the birth of his son. “Why don’t we stay?”

 

Everyone needed a yellow house on a hill; a home filled with the memories of the forging of a family.

 

 

 


	4. Commute

Winry was a master mechanic and while that title made her formidable when dealing with patients, it was not helping her at the moment. For starters, the pile of clothes she had been ignoring were only beginning to smell worse and while a cold shower on a hot summer's day was nice, the novelty had worn off. Besides fixing the water heater, it was clear that the old house was only starting to show its wear and tear. Balancing automail orders, taking on household duties and raising two children made her feel as if she were drowning. And yet she remained quiet, not wanting to burden the one person she knew could ease it.

Rubbing the back of her arm across her forehead she put down her wrench and moved out from under the sink. Her heart sank as she heard the distant sound of crying.  _It had barely been half an hour!_  Sprinting into the living room WInry cursed under her breath after stepping on toys she had told Eddy a thousand times to pick up. Scooping up little Sara she glanced anxiously up at the stairs, praying that the cries had not woken her son. Balancing Sara on her hip, Winry cooed into her ear and began to sway as she tried to get the baby back to sleep. From the smell this was definitely a false alarm and if she could just get her to conk back out, she might check off at least one more thing from her to-do list. Sara yawned and just as Winry began to hope that all was not lost she heard a thump followed by the sound of little feet on the stairs.  _For the love of all that was metal and holy in this world._

"Why?" She stammered out in accusation to no one in particular

As predicted Eddy rushed down the stairs nearly tackling her in the process, "Mommy!" He squealed, "I'm done with my nap, can we play now? Can we, can we?" He jumped around her.

There was no use trying to shush her five-year-old son, well not soon enough that he hadn't woke Sara up for good. If there was one thing about parenting she had truly grasped it was that a tired child was an impossible child. Sara began to whimper and then then no shushing could stop the torrent of cries that began to build into screams. Babies need sleep, hell she needed sleep.

"Mommy? Mommy? Mommy?"

Winry wanted to lash out, scream and kick but those little eyes saw everything. "Edward Urey Elric I heard you loud and clear the first time. Why don’t you let Den out?"

“Den!”

Winry released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding when Eddy grinned and ran to follow her orders. It wasn’t often he did that without a thousand questions. No one told her parenting took this much physical as well as mental strength. Having two children had livened up the yellow home, but the absence of her parents and recently her grandmother made it ache with emptiness.

After getting Sara down again, she turned to the bathroom and shut the door. Looking in the mirror she tried to stop the full-on panic that began to build up her throat and now burning at her eyes. "Stop it." She forced herself to breathe. "Pull it together Winry."

But the tears came anyway and biting her lip only stopped the sobs.

"Mom? Are you in there?"  
Winry watched as the handle turned and jerked but she just stared at the lock.

"Mom?"

Scraping her hands down her face she looked back at the mirror and tried to imagine how Trisha ever did this alone.

 

* * *

Edward shut the door behind him, hanging his traveling cloak on a hook before discarding his shoes. A part of him had wanted to see them waiting on the front porch, but it was late. Entering the living room he flicked on a dim light revealing the sight of his Wife fast asleep on the floor next to the play pen. Eddy curled up at her side using Den as a pillow. The older dog perked his head up and began to wag his tail. A quick glance revealed his little girl sound asleep like the rest of them, her thumb partially sticking out of her mouth. Not wanting to wake them up he gave Den a gentle pat on the head and busied himself picking up stray toys and putting Winry's wrench back into her workshop. That didn’t board well, Winry didn't just leave her tools lying around. Just as he was making his way out of the kitchen, he spotted a list on the wall and immediately felt a wave of guilt.

Already checked off were four rush order automail jobs, a clogged sink, replaced broken tiles in the upstairs bathroom, a trip to the grocery store with a food list that contained ingredients for his beloved stew with a note of his expected arrival. Off to the side he eyed a photo of them together as a family, his throat constricted tightly. A simple phrase he had once used stared back at him in bold letters 'Don't Forget'. Time was different than it used to be. One week before could end up looking like a month nowadays.

"You're home."

Ed turned around to see Winry smiling like he was her savior. He welcomed her into his arms taking a moment to properly take her in. Honestly Edward didn't want to say it, but from the looks of things, it needed to be said.

"This isn't going to work." He breathed quietly into her hair.

"I know." She whispered back, the defeat evident in her voice. "I'm trying."

This wasn't the life they had mapped out when they exchanged vows, when he promised her his life in exchange for hers. How did they get here? Edward thought about when they lived in Rush Valley, a small apartment above the shop, Eddy still a far-off thought. They worked hard but at night neither the heat nor exhaustion could ever keep their hands off one another. The military teaching contract had felt like the right thing to do when news of his son first came. And even after Pinako passed and they moved back to Resembool he had thought the commute wasn't so bad.

"I resigned from the military."

Winry pushed back then to really look into his face.

"Here." He pulled his discharge papers from his back pocket. "No more commuting-" He swallowed hard, his eyes memorizing every part of her. "-no more distance."

Winry raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "Tell me you didn't do something stupid and get yourself fired. How are we going to make up for that kind of financial loss? " 

Edward bristled at the notion but even he had to admit she wasn't necessarily far from the truth. He wasn't going to tell her that the death of two young blonde children in Central had churned his stomach in ways it never had before. He wasn't going to tell his wife that he found himself searching for her even though he knew exactly where she was. And he most certainly wasn't going to tell her that he found himself missing her only moments after he had just said goodbye.

"Mustang owed me a big payout anyways, we'll be fine for awhile."

"Awhile?" She hit him on the arm. "What do you mean awhile? Edward this house is falling apart, _I'm falling apart._ We cannot afford to just make decisions on a whim!"

"Its not a whim." He put a hand over her mouth to stop her from rebutting him. "Stop arguing and just kiss me."

Winry pouted for a moment but when at last it seemed she was too tired to argue he released his hand and was thankful when she didn't protest him.

"Ew."

Reluctantly they broke apart in time to see their son watching them, his nose wrinkled with disgust. Thank god for doors and locks. Frowning, he pretended to be upset. "What? No welcome back Dad?"

The little boy folded his arms across his chest looking stubborn and far too Rockbell with those blue eyes. "Are you staying home?"

Den chose that moment to bark, officially setting off Sara into a slow building cry. He noticed that Eddy wasn't the only one waiting on his answer. Winry had a distant look in her eyes as if waiting for an answer that might never come.

"This is our home isn't it?" That bastard father of his hadn't been able to do it, but Edward knew the value of what he would be giving up and he no longer owed the world. No, this time he meant it. "I'm home."

Later in the night when they were alone and the kids had finally fallen asleep, he entered their bedroom to an enticing scene. Winry pulled the shirt over her head, the muscles in her back rippling. He came up behind her then and wondered if he hadn't been in Central so much how many children they might actually have. Thankfully he had been too distracted in his youth to discover just how good his childhood friend could make him feel.

"Rain check?" She mumbled apologetically as she stifled a yawn.

Equivalent exchange had always been a pain in the ass. Wrapping his arms around her he tried to settle in for sleep but he couldn't help it when she wriggled against him trying to get comfortable.

"Ed?" She asked quietly.

"Hm?"

"Maybe you should go take a cold shower." She offered sweetly but he didn't miss the amusement in her voice.

"Yeah yeah." He grumbled. "I'll fix the water heater tomorrow."

 


	5. First Step

Ed perched low to the ground, his arms outstretched. He had missed his son's first steps, so he was determined to catch Sara's. "Come on sweetie." He coaxed her repeatedly.

The tiny girl held onto the couch, eyes wide as she stared at her father. He glanced at his pocket watch before letting out a groan. They needed to leave soon to pick up Al and Mei from the train station. "Come to daddy Sara!" He smiled encouragingly.

She just stared at him, her legs wobbling a little as she held onto the couch. The logic in her face read that her falling was probably not worth leaving the safety of the couch. _He should have grabbed something to bribe her with_. From squatting so long, his own legs felt a little wobbly and strained. It took a lot for him to not mess up his enthusiastic appearance for his daughter. Shifting a little bit closer he waved her in again, making sure to smile bigger. She smiled back at him, a tiny giggle coming from her as she waved back at him.

Well, that was that. She was going to make him wait. Falling backwards to the ground he sat with his legs crossed and shook his head. "You're going to walk as soon as I turn my back on you huh?"

Feeling defeated he blew out a long breath and got to his feet. Winry joined them, Eddy close on her heels as he gazed curiously over to where Ed had been working with his little sister.

"I'm telling you Ed, it's still too early for her to be walking." Winry reminded him sagely.

Ed made a face, "Look at her! She's been standing up by herself for days and I saw her walk a few spaces holding on." He stated stubbornly as he turned his back to his daughter to defend himself to his wife.

"Daaa…daa."

He held up a hand to stifle the talk, "Listen Winry, I guarantee she's going to do it soon and…"

"Daaa…daa."

Frowning he ignored the voice and continued. He glared at Winry who was staring at him like he was crazy.

"Ed-"Winry started to speak but he cut her off.

"I'm not going to miss it this time around!" He protested confidently.

Winry slapped a hand over his mouth, looking completely awestruck. "Ed shut up!"

Eddy joined in laughing with Winry as if they were sharing their own private joke. He froze when Winry slowly turned him around to see Sara sitting at his feet her arms stretched up. "Daa…daa." She asked again, her eyes large.

"Did she just…?"

Winry picked up the little girl as he stood stunned. "Yes! That is daddy. What a smart girl you are!"

When they met Al and Mei at the train station he was still a little bit dazed. "Hey brother, something wrong?" Al asked looking concerned when they were out of earshot of their wives.

It finally sank in and he felt like an idiot. "I've been waiting all day for Sara to take her first step and she goes and talks."

"She said her first word?" Al asked looking excited. "What was it?"

He had been so worried about missing out on things with Sara as he had with his son that he had almost missed this too. She had given him something better than a first step. "She called me daaa da."


	6. Thunderstorms

The thunder clapped loudly outside but it wasn't the reason why Ed was suddenly lurched out of his sleep. "Wha? Wha-whosethere?" He spoke out in rush, his senses trying desperately to find their bearings in the dark. Winry shifted next to him, groaning out something to the equivalent of go back to sleep, but she too woke at the sound of their door creaking open. He could see her hand dart for the wrench on the bedside table.

A little face peered around the edge of the door looking frightened.

"Eddy!" Winry breathed out in relief.

Sure enough the little guy who had opened their door came running in; jumping into his mother's awaiting arms. Ed watched her look him over as if something had happened. "What's wrong baby?" She asked, the doctor in her kicking in as she began to examine him for injury.

Their son looked up at them, his eyes wide as another booming roar echoed outside. Ed sighed in understanding. "It's just a storm kiddo, no reason to be scared."

He exchanged a look with Winry who seemed to calm a little at his diagnostic.

"Can I sleep in here tonight?" The little boy asked fearfully.

He didn't like the idea of his son being scared of something that could be scientifically explained as perfectly natural. A lot of kids were scared of thunderstorms, hell plenty of adults too, but he wasn't about to make up a cheesy lie to make the kid feel better. "It may seem scary but we're safe in here bud. Go back to bed."

It was hard to watch his sons face fall even further. "Please?" He begged.

"Come on." Ed picked his son up and carried him back to his room. It was hard to watch Eddy's brave attempts to hold back the tears as another wave of thunder shook the skies. Tucking the little one in bed he perched himself on the edge of the mattress. He ruffled Eddies hair in the same way he did to Winry to make her feel better. "Do you know why there's thunder and lightning?"

Eddy sniffled but shook his head none the less.

"Lightening is just electricity. It starts up in the clouds when the positive and negative charges build up and when enough of that charge accumulates a bolt of electricity flows between different areas of opposite charge. You'll even see it flowing from the clouds to the ground. Now thunder is made when the lightning goes through the air heating it and making it expand. Once it cools and contracts the movement of air makes that loud noise we've been hearing called thunder." Another crack of thunder off in the distance brought him out of his scientific ramblings. "You know I think the storm has almost passed."

Looking over he smiled, the kid was out cold. Standing up he walked back to his own room, closing the door behind him. Winry was waiting for him, a smirk on her face. Jumping under the covers next to her he kissed her chastely. "All taken care of."

"You are such a science geek."

He laughed at that. "This science geek just saved us from Eddy's snoring and kicking legs."

Winry raised an eyebrow, "Where do you think he gets it from?"

Oh he could counter that one. "Where do you think he gets being scared of thunder storms from, huh? I seem to remember you sneaking into the room Al and I shared quite a few times."

She crawled over on top of him. Leaning down she drew close enough to kiss him. Her response was slow and seductive. "You always were so good at making me feel better."

"And now?" He asked feeling the excitement build and the need for sleep long gone.

She kissed him slowly along his jaw. "I can think of a few ways to return the favor…"

He had come to love the sound of thunder and the pretty girl that it drove into his room. Yes, it was better to explain the scientific part of thunderstorms to his son rather than to explain why he personally enjoyed them, enjoyed them very much.


	7. Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some goodbyes are harder than others and Den was no exception.

Winry put her boots on after pulling the hood of her jacket over her head and heading out into the rain. Shivering hard she winced as the cool, fall-air rushed on by, dropping the temperature even further. Holding up the lantern she looked around expectantly but still no sign of Edward or Den. The sick feeling made her stomach roll as she thought about both of them out there in the dark.

She couldn't remember a time when her childhood pet wasn't around. To date, her time in Rush Valley had been the longest period away from her. The mud splashed up over her boots as she began to set out; afraid of what would happen if they didn't find her, but even more so if they did. Den's name carried in the wind, echoing across the large expanse around her.

Just as she started to descend down into the hilly valley she noticed a figure moving slowly towards her. As the figure drew closer she felt the tears begin to bud in her eyes. Edward walked into the light, his arms supporting the black and white dog. His lips were pulled thin and she struggled to find the words to ask what she needed to know.

"Den?"

The dog's ears perked a little at the sound of her call. Ed cleared his throat, his voice sounding husky with emotion. "Let's get her inside."

Not caring about the floors she had just cleaned earlier in the day Winry stormed through the house grabbing as many warm towels as her arms would hold. Delicately she wrapped the old dog up as Ed threw some logs into the fireplace and worked at lighting a fire.

Sitting on the rug she felt the heat radiating out towards them, but Den still remained a concerning cold. Ed paced the space for a few minutes before shooting her a look at last. Winry knew they were thinking the same thing and it broke her heart. Den was far from his puppy years but somehow his presence in their life had never been questioned. No metal appendage could fix this and no amount of wishing would either.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked her, looking a little lost.

She gently petted the fur on the top of the dog's head. "We should wake Eddy. I think he should be able to say-" Her voice hitched and she couldn't go on.

Ed nodded and headed upstaris coming down a few minutes later with a bleary eyed little boy.

The dogs panting began to build, the sound of her heart like a pounding drum. Ed wrapped his arm around her when she began to cry. Nothing lasts forever, no matter how much you want it to.

Eddy petted Den from nose to tail looking confused. "Mommy, whats wrong with Den?"

Edward cleared his throat, "Shes really sick Eddy."

Their son leaned down to look the old dog in her eyes before tugging at his moms coat. "Can I hug her? That always makes me feel better."

Edward smiled at the boy's optimism, "She'd like that Eddy, but right now it's her time to go."

"Go? But she's our dog, what if I don't want her to go?" Eddy stared back at his father with a slight heir of defiance. The similarities between him and his father were so glaring at times.

"Den is an old dog; she will be in more pain if we make her stay." Ed pointed out gently and Winry caught herself hanging onto his words.

Tears were welling up in her son's eyes and Winry wished she really could fix this. Winry reached out and pulled him between her and Ed.

"What do we do?" Their son asked bleakly.

Ever since Den had gone missing that morning Winry had a sinking feeling something was wrong. They had been trying to think of what to do all day, but when Ed came walking in with the old girl in his arms Winry knew there was only one thing left to do. "We're her family, so we'll stay by her side until it's time to go." She answered lovingly.

Winry could feel the dog still in her lap, her time finally up. A terrible weight tugged at her heart as she leaned down and kissed the top of Den's head. "Goodbye Den." Turning into Ed's shoulder she sobbed for the both of them.

There was no service like her grandmother and no gathering at the familiar graveyard, just a simple hole in the backyard and the four of them. It seemed like such a small farewell for such a beloved dog. No matter how many times they would face death Winry knew it would always be hard to say goodbye. She held onto her sons hand as she looked over at Ed who was cradling Sara against his shoulder.

She nudged her boy gently, reminding him that it was his turn to speak. "I'm sorry I got mad at you for eating my pie that one day, I hope you get to eat lots of pie wherever you are. I love you, you were my favorite doggie."

Ed was next, and despite his reluctance to go along with a mock service he seemed swept up, his voice much quieter than usual. "We'll never forget you, I'll never forget you. Goodbye Den."

It was her turn to speak but she couldn't find the words to begin to explain the loss she felt. The tears began to build as she tried to clear her throat. "You know how much you mean to me. I'll miss you Den."

Despite the hollow ache of missing her dog Winry understood that a life lived to its fullest was nothing to feel sorry about.


	8. Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Let us be silent, that we may hear the whispers of the gods." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
> 
> WARNING: adult themes/content

Edward frowned as he headed downstairs watching as Winry moved around the kitchen tidying up. After putting the kids to bed he found his brothers words still crept up on him.

_"You learn a lot in Xing brother. Not that I want to know, but are you sure you're taking care of Winry?"_

He could feel the heat rise in his cheeks at the way his brother had smirked. Edward had no doubt that spending time with Ling had corrupted his younger brother. Despite his initial unease, he had spent an awful lot of time pondering the question. Listening intently he heard the silence upstairs and decided now was as good of time as any. Sneaking up on the pretty woman in the kitchen felt risky but he didn't see any wrenches. Reaching forward he pulled at one of the ties that held a white apron around her enticing waist. He pulled slowly, feeling the sensation build. Winry's motions froze as he stepped closer, brushing her hair over to one side. Leaning in, Edward kissed her neck.

There was a soft intake of breath; a pause that allowed him to see the slight tilt of her head. Winry closed her eyes and he appreciated the way she sighed into his touch. Wrapping his arms around his wife Edward knew he was a lucky man. It didn't matter how many times he had kissed her, touched her, the feeling still had him breathing hard. Winry turned in his arms, palms flattening against his chest as she tilted her chin up. Edward brushed her bangs away so he could get a good look into those blue eyes. It was his job to take care of her. Considering all that she had done for him it was probably time her returned the favor.

Pulling away slightly he held her face in his hands, making her look him in the eyes again. Her lips curled into a questioning grin and he knew she would trust him. Pressing his lips against hers Edward leaned into her warm embrace, ignoring the faucet that continued to stream out water. Edward took in the scent of her hair and admired the touch of her creamy skin against his. Winry attempted to say something but he held her firm and pressed a finger to her lips when she tried to protest. The look of surprise on her face when he bent down and continued to plant kisses up her thigh, pushing her dress away made him grin with confidence. 

Judging by the way she tugged at his hair and clenched her muscles he figured he was doing something right. Then she was pulling his chin up, a hungry look in her eyes. The touch of his hand to her face became a catalyst and the fervor of her kiss stoked the space between them with fire. They had always been better at explaining things through actions rather than words. With two little kids sleeping above they both understood that silence was everything. Hoisting her up on the counter he breathed heavily as her hands worked at his belt. Her dress rose up quickly over her head as he impatiently jerked the fabric away. She kissed him harder, the muffled sound of pleasure muted against each other. He had been patient all day, but now he could find no reason why he should wait. He came first moaning into her hair while the feeling of her nails against his back and her own soft whimpers brought her right along with him. 

His wife had a sated expression on her face as he handed her the dress off the floor. Winry didn't actually say it, but it was nice to know that even after two kids he could still surprise her into silence. He would be silent too, his brother and that stupid prince, or emperor to be more specific, didn't need to know their advice had paid off.

 


	9. Santa?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has moments where they doubt whether or not something is real. This just came a little earlier than they expected.

The things he was willing to do for his family. Pulling the black boots on he looked up at his reflection, at least he liked the color red. Sliding his palm over his face he shook his head in disbelief, this was a one-time only kind of deal. Pulling on the beard and jamming the hat onto his head Edward stared at the jolly fucker looking back at him. Winry adjusted the padding in the front of his coat, the curl of her lips holding back a smirk. She kissed him on the cheek before he holstered his pride and headed towards the living room. Hoisting the sack of presents over his shoulder he tried to make as little noise as possible as he walked down the hallway. In order to make this work he needed to pretend he had come out the chimney. No way in hell was he going to attempt to come down a chimney, even he had limits though he was just beginning to understand the damage children and Winry could do to change that.

Sleeping soundly on the couch was the little snoop they had been worried about. They had been expecting Eddy to figure it out one day, but not when he was only six! Some little prick in his class had spread a rumor that Santa wasn't real.

 _Not real my ass_. Ed huffed as he began to unload the bag.

After placing the last present neatly under the tree he grinned evilly at the stack of cookies by the fireplace. The best part of playing Santa was the goodies he could cherish all to himself. Scarfing down the delicious morsels he never noticed that his son was sitting up wide eyed and awake.

"Santa?"

Ed jumped about a foot off the ground. Turning around quickly he held his padded stomach trying to slow his heart rate. Winry was right, as she always was, Eddy still wanted to believe. Trying to disguise his voice he shoved the last cookie in his mouth.

"Ho ho ho!" He mumbled through a mouthful.

The little boy glanced from the presents to the Santa in front of him his face lighting up. "I knew it! I knew you were real!"

Ed nodded his head, "You best head back to bed."

Thank goodness his son was too exhausted from trying to stay awake to notice the similarities between his father and this Santa. The little boy nodded as a yawn stretched across his face, he was almost to the doorway when he paused to turn around.

"You're not going to drink the milk?" His son asked innocently.

Looking at the empty plate his gaze fell upon the glass full of white, disgusting, cow juice. Stifling the urge to snarl at the offending liquid he forced a grin on his face. _"I almost forgot."_

Eddy stared at him curiously, "You do like milk, don't you?"

He was already dressed like a complete buffoon; this was just the icing on the cake. Draining the glass in three gulps he promised revenge on Winry for filling it to the top.

"Santa?"

"Un huh." He prayed for his stomach to keep the milk down.

"Can I ask you for something?"

It better not be another toy, he had already splurged on his kid for the year. "I think Santa needs a break."

The boys shoulders drooped as he nodded his head, "Oh, ok."

He really was becoming a pushover. Edward rolled his eyes, "What do you want?"

Eddy looked around quickly, as if afraid someone might overhear him. Running up to Ed he tugged down on the beard and his father had to scramble to keep it in place as he leaned down towards his son.

"Next Christmas, I want a little brother."

Edward blanched for a moment, two kids was already a lot. The he thought about how fun making them was and decided maybe three wasn't terrible. "Well if you're a good boy and get back in bed Santa will think about it."

Eddy nodded enthusiastically before darting back up the stairs.

Winry must have been watching from somewhere because as soon as their son was out of sight she came out of her hiding spot grinning. "I thought your cover was going to be blown when he asked about the milk." She pulled the white beard down and kissed him sweetly, "What did he ask you?"

Ed wagged his eyebrows at her, "He wants a little brother."

Her hands pulled off the red hat running her fingers through his hair. "Hmm and what does Santa think about that?"

Kissing the corner of her mouth he trailed his kisses down her neck, "Santa thinks next year is too far away."

Winry tugged at his coat, "Guess we better start early then huh?"


	10. Good Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward takes a day off.

It was rare that he actually woke up without the help of a crying baby or jumping toddler. He rolled onto his back, his hand searching the other side of the bed for his favorite thing to wake up to. Squinting past the sunlight streaming into the bedroom he grimaced. Tugging his watch off the nightstand he squinted past the sleep in his eyes to make out the time. The initial shock at seeing almost noon sent him flying to his feet, his mouth gaping open in surprise. Did he just sleep in? He must still be dreaming; sleeping in went extinct the day his son was born.

Stretching his arms over his head his shoulder blades gave a relieving pop. Winry must be feeling very charitable if she let him sleep in this late. Feeling a little guilty he decided to at least make the bed. Just as he began to pull up the sheets he grabbed at the piece of paper resting on her side of the bed. Picking it up he read the short note and let out a relieved sigh, this explained a lot.

 

> _Ed,_
> 
> _I'm taking the kids into town with me. Enjoy the extra sleep, the silence and the house all to yourself for the day. You owe me one. I love you._
> 
> _Winry_

Standing alone in the quiet house he pondered what he should do with his free time. Feeling a little defiant he didn't bother getting dressed; he roamed the house in his boxers and left his hair in the messed ponytail. Instead of breakfast he finished off the two slices of apple pie from the fridge and turned on the radio to a station  _he_  liked and listened to it as loud as the player would go.

About an hour into his lazing he began to notice the little things. By now he would have kissed both of his favorite girls and answered one of twenty streaming questions from his son. It had been about a year, but he might have even taken Den for a walk and then headed out to work on the farm. But with a day off and the house empty he had no idea what to do with himself. Unable to remain comfortable for long he got up and began to pace. She had given him a day off from the chaos and stress their life sometimes entailed but as he stopped his pacing and really looked around, all he felt was loneliness and the longing for the sound of their voices.

Feeling a little stupid for not thinking of it earlier he set about cleaning the house. Tearing that damn to do list off the wall he let out a sigh and ignored the callings of the couch. The list began to dwindle as he steadily worked his way from squeaky door to shifting around some of the new machinery down in Winry's workshop. The dull ache in his muscles and the sweat that dripped down his back felt good. Crumpling up the list he threw it away before marching upstairs for a well-deserved shower.

The chores had certainly kept his mind off his family but when they returned a little after dinnertime he looked up from the book he was reading. He heard her take the kids upstairs and put them down for bed. He could tell from the sluggish tiny footsteps that his son wouldn't be any trouble getting to bed and Sara had yet to make a peep.

"Did you really lie here all day?"

Ed looked up to see Winry leaning over the back of the couch, an amused look on her face.

He shrugged, "Maybe."

She leaned further over the side of the couch pushing away his book and kissing him sweetly. "You're a bad liar."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He replied with a cheeky grin.

She slid over the back of the sofa, her body lying against his. "I really meant to give you a day off from all this."

He frowned. "Work gets tedious and chores around this place are tiring, but I never wanted time off from you."

Winry rolled her eyes, "You don't ever get sick and tired of seeing me every day?"

Was that what she had been worrying about lately? He kissed her roughly, his hands grasping around her tightly before releasing her. "Who said anything about getting tired?."

She shrugged but he could see it had actually been bothering her, "I keep waiting for something. Something to come along and take you away from this."

He didn't need any more prodding than that. She gave him a lot more than a family, she gave him a purpose and without her he was just a wandering fool. "Trust me Winry, I'm not going anywhere." He ran his hand through her hair watching as her eyes closed and her lips turned up in a tender smile. He didn't have to add in that he wasn't his father because that never needed to be said. "Besides, do you really think there is anyone out there who could put up with me?"

Winry chuckled softly, "Believe me Ed, there are plenty of girls who can't wait to jump your bones."

Edward snorted, "Right, do we need to go through the list of men in this town who are desperate to lose a limb so that you can work on them?"

His wife playfully nudged him, her mood changing. "Hmm and where would they get that idea?"

He grinned and and leaned in closer to kiss her, "No idea."


	11. Education

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems."  
> -Mahatma Gandhi

 

It was parent teacher conferences at the local school house and both Winry and Edward's presence had been requested. Edward had moaned about never wanting to set foot in the building but Winry had bribed him with pie. Now as they walked into the familiar building Winry wished someone had bribed her too.

The older woman stared at them sternly over the pair of spectacles that rested at the edge of her nose. Her slicked back, gray hair resided almost too perfectly on top of her head and the starchy black pantsuit reeked of stale smoke. It wasn't hard to imagine why Eddy was a little afraid of his teacher, why they too had been afraid of her back in their school days. Winry could almost feel her husband shrinking towards the door.

Feeling a little fidgety herself Winry offered her kindness like an olive branch. "Thank you for inviting us."

Ms. Howard nodded curtly, her lips still set straight in a thin line. Had they not known this woman, Winry might have been offended by the absence of pleasantries. "You may have a seat."

The two of them cautiously took a seat, unsure what their former teacher had in store for them.

"For starters," She knit her hands together and laid them in front of her. "I have caught Edward sleeping several times in class." She remarked bluntly, directing her stare towards Winry.

Winry sat back a little, the interrogating gaze making her sink into her seat. How this old lady still intimidated them was a clear testament to her style of  _teaching_.

"He also seems to be incapable of keeping his opinions to himself." She switched her gaze to Edward.

Edward scoffed. "What do you want us to do, send him to school with his mouth duck taped and an alarm clock?"

Winry winced, tasteful Ed, tasteful.

Ms. Howard narrowed her eyes. "I have taught a lot of children, but your boy is something different."

She could sense her husband's body stiffen next to her, but she was too busy sending her own death stare to intervene. " _Excuse me_?"

"You heard me." The woman replied just as brashly. "But then again the apple does not fall far from the tree."

Edward stood up, his expression furious. He jabbed his finger at her in accusation. "Well then you should  _know_  that I can make sure you are out a job as fast as it takes me to make a phone call to the President himself!"

Their former teacher just glared at them. "Oh I remember you Edward Elric and that is why I maintain my words."  
"Now just wait a minute!" Winry interrupted feeling betrayed; they had trusted their son's education to this woman.

The teacher halted her next rebuttal with a hand raised in the air. "Hold on, I am hardly finished. Your son is different than the others, I didn't say that was a bad thing. While he may have inherited your rather undesirable classroom etiquette, he is well beyond those in his peer group."

Ed slowly sat back down looking dumbfounded. This teacher was doing a very poor job explaining that she thought their son was bright.

Ms. Howard slid a piece of paper across the desk towards them. "I hold your son to a higher standard, but I am sure you can see why."

Winry picked up the paper and glanced at the headline 'when I grow up'. "What is this?" she asked curiously.

"I asked my students to write about what they want to do when they grow up. Now since they are younger I expect simple things. Most students wrote about being rich, popular or some kind of fantasy adventure dream. But your son- Edward wrote something very different."

Holding up the sheet between her and Edward, Winry began to read.

_When I grow up I am going to solve problems. My mom helps solve problems, she helps people learn to walk again and people stop to shake my dad's hand and thank him for saving the world. I want to have healing hands, like my mom and I want to save the world like my dad. If I can be like them, then I can't wait to grow up._

The penmanship could use some work and she saw several spots where Ms. Howard had modified misspelled words but she couldn't help the sudden lump in her throat. "He really wrote this?" She asked, her voice coming out a little chocked up.

"I don't permit plagiarism Mrs. Elric; this is most assuredly his work."

Ed grabbed onto the sheet of paper, his eyes scanning the sentences over and over again as his expression began to thaw. "Well I'll be."

Reluctantly she thanked Ms. Howard while Ed stubbornly stayed his distance, though he did offer a goodbye.

"Think we should talk to Eddy about sleeping in class?" Winry asked softly as she chewed on her lower lip. She thought about how she had allowed him to stay up late several nights to help her with some of her projects.

Edward was quiet for a spell before he chuckled. "Do you think we should scold him for expressing his opinions?"

Winry shook her head as they both began to grin. "Does that make us bad parents?"

He gave her that charmingly adorable look of innocence. "Only if you think turning out like us is bad."

She thought about that for moment. "Of course I don't."

Edward wrapped his arm around her shoulders pulling her close. "Good."

Ms. Howard watched the Elrics leave her classroom with a feeling of accomplishment. She had been teaching long enough to see the children of some of her students walk through those doors. Usually it took a last name or a meeting to see the connection but not for Edward Elric. The moment that little boy walked in she knew, with a small amount of hidden delight, that he would be as troublesome as his parents but that he too was just troublesome enough to make a difference in this world.


	12. Don't Sweat It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Resembool's heat was one for the record books and Edward nearly loses two things at once.

It was a routine maintenance for the old farmer who lived nearby. He had been a long standing customer of Winry's grandmother which had been left in her care. The farming incident that had taken his arm so many years ago was one of the first automail surgeries she had ever seen. Now that he was in his retirement years Mr. Tanski treated his automail arm just like any other appendage and without it working properly Winry worried he might hurt himself further. Honestly from his report she thought it sounded like a simple fix and figured it would take her less than a day to get it all sorted out. That was before she walked outside into the heat.

The heat was testing he patience and Winry almost wished she had accepted Edwards offer to come with her, but he had a habit of getting jealous when she worked on male patients. Winry scoffed at the memory, Mr. Tanksi could be her grandfather! Clients were usually expected to come to her as the use of her shop was impertinent to the ease and quickness of the job, but Mr. Tanski was a special case. His age had limited his mobility and Winry knew if he could have come, he would have. 

The long walk seemed to drag on as she toted the toolbox in her hands. Was it always this heavy? Grimacing she shifted it to her other hand, trying to relieve the pressure off one shoulder. And yet the sun continued to glare mercilessly off the dirt road, creating an altered vision of water ahead which only served to make her throat ache with thirst. Her vision danced a little and she finally set down her toolkit and took a seat. Pulling her bandanna from her pocket she wiped it across her forehead, soaking up the beads of sweat that had been about to fall. How could it be this hot, it was only the beginning of spring!

With an irritated sigh she took a steadying breath and preached that it wasn't that far. The faster she got to Mr. Tanski's farm the sooner she could head on home and the sooner she could kick up her feet and relax.

When the small farmhouse came into view she exhaled with relief. Knocking on the door she had to wait a few more minutes under the beating sun before she heard the distinct sound of two feet and one cane. The wrinkled face widened with a gentle smile as his eyes rested upon her, the crow's feet at his temples deepening. Once she had set up her equipment she began inspecting his arm, noticing with a hint of amusement that the trouble he had been inquiring about was a simple fix.

With the bout of heat, a few wires at the apex of his elbow had melted away the encasing revealing a simple, but frayed wire. Sitting across the table she leaned down to begin work when her vision blurred. Sitting back up straight she scrubbed her hand across her eyes and blinked a few times. Damn, that had never happened before.

"Winry, are you alright?" The older man asked gruffly.

"Yeah." She shook her head, pushing a smile back on her face. "I think the sun might have beaten down a little too hard on me today."

He gave her a look but she patted his arm, "Don't you worry I'll have you fixed up in no time."

Cleaning the oil off her pliers she folded her arms across her chest. "Now make a fist for me."

He complied diligently, the automail responding on command. Mr. Tanski beamed in pleasure at his arm. It was nice to see her hard work pay off right in front of her eyes.

"I sure am a lucky old man to have such a talented young lady help put me back together just like new!"

Winry closed up her kit, grinning at the compliment. "Well you just keep having that son of yours hoard all the best apples from his orchard for me and I'd say we're even."

The old man beamed at her, "Are you sure I can't entice you to stay for a glass of ice tea?"

She waved away the offer thinking she needed to get started on dinner before Ed took matters into his own hands and cleared out the pantry. Her husband may have a ridiculous metabolism, but they did not have the budget to keep up with it. "Maybe next time."

He gave her a concerned look but consented to her will. She was about halfway home when the first spell hit. Her grip on the kit loosened and before she could switch to the other hand she felt it slip and clank noisily to the ground. The second spell came harder, her vision blurring as she began to see white spots. Wiping a hand across her brow she tried to breathe calmly, but it was getting harder to even keep her balance. Feeling like she was falling asleep she stumbled a few steps before her muscles relaxed.

Ed put the washcloth under the faucet letting it cool under the water. Squeezing out the excess drops he folded it and placed it on Sara's head. She squealed at the sudden temperature change but began to smile, the red disappearing from her cheeks the longer he sat next to her. It was hot as hell and he made sure to keep his automail out of the sunlight, he had not been fitted with Winry's summer model. Eddy walked into the room and let out a loud and disappointed breath.

"When is Mom coming home, I'm hungry." He moaned looking enviously at the cool cloth on his sister's head.

Ed spun around to look at the clock. It wasn't just his stomach, Winry had been gone for a long time. The beginnings of worry began to take hold, if it was a extensive job she would have rang them. Picking up the phone he pulled out the drawer of numbers before dialing.

"Hello?"

Ed leaned against the wall, "Hi Mr. Tanski its Ed, can I speak to Winry for a moment?"

"Winry? I'm afraid she left a few hours ago."

Edward frowned, his mouth opening and shutting a few times before he found the words. "What do you mean she left a few hours ago?"

"She didn't come home?"

He watched as his son peaked around the corner; his eyes wide. "No." He replied feeling sick, "I've got to go."

Hanging up the phone he turned to his son. "I need you to stay here and look after your sister, can you do that?"

Eddy's mouth turned down at the corners, "Where are you going?"

"Can you look after your sister or not?" He hadn't meant it to come out as shrilly as it had, but he was trying not to panic.

The little boy nodded and without a plan Ed bolted out of the house. The trek to Mr. Tanski's house was pretty familiar so he decided to start there. It was late afternoon but he could still feel the heat and hoped she was visiting with a friend along the way and maybe forgot the time. Panting heavily he ran along the dirt road trying to search for a clue, hint or anything that might explain why his wife hadn't come home.

When he first saw the figure on the ground he was sure it was a mirage but the closer he got the clearer it became.

"Winry!" He barked out her name as he looked upon her body lying motionless in the road. His voice shook as he ordered her to wake up, calling her name over and over again.

Kneeling at her side he didn't see any marks on her, only the pale color of her skin and the slight rise and fall of her chest. Taking a steadying breath he picked her up into his arms.

"Winry?" He finally asked in desperation. When she didn't answer he threw her body over his shoulder, ignoring the pain the extra weight added to his fatiguing body, and set a fast past towards help.

Dr. Scott stepped out into the hallway and motioned Ed to come inside.

Ed nearly sank in relief at the sight of his wife sitting up, her eyes open, but her expression terrified him. In a few steps he was next to her side.

"So…" He prompted placing a hand over his wife's. "What happened?" Winry looked away so he looked on towards the physician for answers.

"Well." Scott ran a hand through his short hair. "It's no wonder she fainted under the exertion of that toolbox in this kind of heat but I think your wife has something else to tell you."

Ed tried to get his wife's attention but she continued to stare off in the other direction. What the hell? He had nearly given himself a heart attack worrying over her and she wouldn't even look at him?

"What's going on?" He asked suspiciously. When she didn't respond right away he turned his glare to the doctor.

Scott sighed, "Your wife needs to take better care of herself, especially now. No more hauling that kind of weight around in this heat, it's not good for either of them."

Before he could say anything the doctor gave him a nod and picked up his bag. "And that's my cue to leave."

Ed turned back to his wife reaching around so that she had to look him in the eye. "Winry?"

She worried her lip between her teeth as if she were afraid of his reaction. "I had no idea. I could have-"

The waterworks came on fast and Edward had a hard time deciphering the rest of his wife's words. He prided himself on being quick on the uptake, but when it came to Winry he was always two steps behind.

"What's going on?"

"I'm pregnant." She managed between sobs.

That was all? Well that was just-oh.

"Pregnant?"

Winry nodded, trying to wipe the tears from her face.

Edward grinned as thoughts of several very active nights danced through his head. "Well we have had some pretty great sex."

For a moment his wife looked like she might  find something to throw at him. Lucky her toolbox was still not within reach.

"You're not mad?" She finally sighed, as if she had expected his response to be different.

"What? Why would I be mad?"

"I could have lost the baby-I was so stupid." She stammered looking ill once more.

His voice sounded a bit odd, and he put an end to any further thoughts of losing a child. "You didn't."

"I was so selfish, I should have taken up your offer to help me..." Her voice shook.

Edward didn't want to think about any of that. "Don't sweat it, do you know how many stupid things I've done that have almost got me killed?"

Seeing her eyes narrow Edward put his hands up defensively, "I mean we're both okay, no need to worry over what could have happened right?"

Winry seemed to deflate and a reluctant smile grew on her face. "You know this means we are going to be outnumbered"

Edward squeezed her hand trying to forget how many times fate had tested them. "I think three is a lucky number."

Later when they told the kids Ed had to stifle a knowing grin when his son jumped up and down gleefully. They worked hard to feign surprise when Eddy told them he had asked Santa for another sibling. Good thing they didn't need to explain where this baby had really come from. Hopefully they wouldn't need to dive into that particular conversation for quite some time.


	13. It'll grow back...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the birth of their first child Ed and Winry had learned quickly what was and wasn't safe in the hands of a child.

After the birth of their first child Ed and Winry had learned quickly what was and wasn't safe in the hands of a child. To their credit they weren’t completely oblivious, but there were a few casualties along the way. There was the time Den was robbed of his dinner and Eddy learned dog food wasn't people food for a reason, a mouse trap had nearly broken Sara's wandering fingers and last but certainly not least both Eddy and Sara had colored in one of Ed's textbooks. Now if someone in the family wished to read about chemistry, they had to endure smiley faced molecules and fanged monsters eating balanced equations.

So after two kids, a dog and a baby on the way, Ed was feeling pretty confident that they had covered all their bases. With Winry playing with Eddy outside and Sara lost in doll world, he was going to take advantage of the quiet. Lying on the couch he flipped his book over on his stomach and decided a nice nap was in order.

A startled gasp stirred him, his head feeling fuzzy with inadequate sleep. Opening his eyes he looked up to see Sara with her hand over her mouth and Eddy staring on in shock.

Feeling creeped out, he ran a hand over his face to see if he had been drooling. "What?" He complained when she continued to gawk at him.

"Ohhhh Sara, you're in big trouble!" Eddy accused with a hint of amusement.

Sitting up he caught Sara hiding something behind her back. The pieces of the puzzle began to slide together as he noticed a braided piece of hair lying on the floor. With a slow and shaky motion he ran his hand back over his head. The short strands filtered easily through his fingers.

"My hair?" He choked out in disbelief. It wasn't that he was a particularly vain kind of guy, but hell it had taken him a long time to get his hair to grow to the perfect length. "Sara, what's behind your back?" He ordered sternly.

Sara made a small 'eep' her eyes wide and ready for tears as he turned on her.

When his little girl finally held out a pair of scissors, he had to fight to hold back his temper. "What were you thinking?"

That wasn't really a fair question; he knew exactly what she had been thinking. There was just something about scissors that begged their holder to cut the closest object. His hair dangling off the couch must have been irresistible.

Of course his wife would walk in when Sara began to apologize through a fit of tears.

"Ed!" she scolded him, "What on earth are you-" Her mouth dropped open as she got a good look at him.

Feeling a little deflated by the tears he sat back down and held out his hand. "Sara, the scissors please."

His little girl handed them over, her sniffles giving way to small hiccups. "I'm sorry daddy." She mumbled.

"You just earned yourself extra chores this week." He asserted sternly.

He was kind of surprised that Winry didn't comment as Sara nodded resolutely and left the room. Eddy looking amused but quickly followed suit, his brotherly concern for his tear streaked sister slowly emerging as he grew older.

"If it makes you feel any better, you're not the only victim." Winry held up one of Sara's dolls who had also had an unfortunate meeting with scissors. "I just found this guy when I heard the ruckus down here."

"Hmm." He didn't feel like talking about it, yet alone going to a mirror to look at the damage.

"Ed."

It was only because her voice had dipped to that low whisper, the one that she usually reserved for late nights, that he actually forgot his hair for a moment.

Her eyes scanned him over, a smirk growing on her lips. "You know, I kind of like it." She ran her fingers achingly slow along his scalp. "It's different." She murmured into his ear.

"If you think talking it up is going to make this better, you're wro-" His eyes closed as she lightly dragged her fingertips back over his head. "Mmmm."

"It'll grow back." She promised, a dangerous sparkle in her eye, "But for now, why don't we enjoy this new you?"

He was going to do two things that day. One, remove all scissors from his children and two, enjoy the benefits of this unexpected casualty. Because as his wife played with his shortened hair, he got the feeling that the only thing he was really going to be missing out on tonight would be sleep.


End file.
